Electrical connector with wiregripping means



June 1964 R. E. LAWLOR 3,138,422

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH WIRE-GRIFFING MEANS Filed Oct. 28, 1963 I 0554LBW-40E,

United States Patent 3,138,422 ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WITH WIRE- GRIPPINGMEANS Robert E. Lawlor, 4 19 S. Sanders, Ridgecrest, Califi, as-

signor of fifty-five percent to Paul A. Cornell, Los Angeles, Calif.

Filed Oct. 28, 1963, Ser. No. 319,487 6 Claims. (Cl. 339-466) Thisinvention relates to electrical connectors of the type disclosed in US.Patent No. 3,118,720, issued January 21, 1964 to Richard L. Schuck andRobert E. Lawlor, for electrical connector.

More specifically, the connector of this invention is one embodying apair of cylindrical jaw members having respective tangential tailsprovided with registrable apertures to receive a fastener bolt or screw,one of the cylindrical jaw members being rotatably received within theother, and the jaw members having respective pairs of diametralapertures adapted to be disposed in alignment upon effecting an openingmovement between said tails with one jaw member rotating upon the other,whereby a conductor wire or cable can be inserted through the alignedapertures, said jaw members then being operable to effect a crimpingtype of clamping action against the conductor cable upon bringing thetails together and securing them to the metal conductor body by afastener screw inserted through the tail apertures, leaving theconductor tightly clamped between the jaw members. With respect to thistype of connector, the invention embraces the following objects:

(1) To provide such a connector embodying a construction which issimplified and reduced in cost;

(2) To provide such a connector which can be fabricated of form strapmetal;

(3) To provide such a connector including a relatively simple means forretaining the respective parts of the connector in properly alignedassembly prior to attachment of the connector to a conductor body;

(4) To provide such a connector having means for facilitating theinsertion of a conductor wire or cable through the aligned apertures ofthe jaws;

(5) To provide such a connector having means for maintaining it in anopened condition, with its respective jaw apertures in alignment forreception of a conductor, prior to installation of the connector;

(6) To provide such a connector having means to minimize the shearingaction of the relatively rotatable jaw members against a conductor whenthe latter is being clamped between the jaw members by closing of theconnector during an installation;

(7) To provide such a connector wherein the last four described objectsare attained by means of a deformable soft metal sleeve inserted throughthe four jaw apertures, maintaining them in alignment and retaining therespective connector members against relative lateral displacement priorto installation of the connector, providing a smoothwalled receptacleinto which the end of a conductor wire can be inserted to a positiontraversing the full diameter of the jaw member assembly without catchingagainst the edges of the jaw apertures, and protecting the conductorwire against shearing action by the edges of the jaw apertures as theconnector is closed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the ensuingspecification and appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an electrical connector embodying theinvention, seen in its open condition prior to installation as aconductor connection;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same;

FIG. 3 is a head end view of the same; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electrical connectionassembly embodying the connector in a closed condition attached to aconductor body and clamping the end of an electrical conductor betweenits jaws.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown therein, as anexample of one form in which the invention may be embodied, anelectrical connector comprising, in general, a pair of connector parts Aand B and a retainer sleeve C retaining the parts A and B in assembly inan open condition of the connector and with their respective lateralmargins in' alignment in common planes at the respective sides of theconnector.

Connector part A comprises a cylindrical jaw member 10 havingdiametrically aligned jaw apertures 11 and 12, a fiat attachment tail 13having a fastener aperture 14, and an intermediate oifset neck 15 joinedto the tail 13 by an integral right-angle bend 16, and formed as anintegral tangential extension of one side of the cylindrical jaw 10. Theneck 15 has a height such that the jaw member 10 is offset above theplane of the tail 13.

The connector part B is generally similar to the part A, embodying acylindrical jaw member 20 provided with diametrically aligned jawapertures 21 and 22, a flat attachment tail 23 having a fasteneraperture 24, and an intermediate offset neck 25 formed as a tangentialcontinuation of one side of the cylindrical jaw member 20 and joined tothe tail 23 by a right-angle integral bend 26.

The cylindrical jaw member 20 has an end which is spaced from the neck25 to define a gap 27 through which the olfset neck 15 of part Aextends. From its end to its point of tangency with neck 25, jaw member20 extends approximately 4 of a circumference, its open end beingdisposed on a radius substantially parallel to the neck 25 andsubstantially in or tangent to the extended plane of its tail 23. Thusthe gap 27 is of adequate width to accommodate relative rotation of jawmember 20 on jaw member 10 through an angle of approximately 20, toshift the connector parts A, B from the open position shown in FIG. 2 tothe closed position shown in FIG. 4 wherein the tail 23 is seatedagainst the tail 13.

While the tail 23 of connector part B is substantially tangent to theopen end of the outer jaw member 20, the tail 13 of connector part A isonly approximately tangent to the inner jaw member 10, the open end ofwhich is oifset upwardly from the respective tail 13 by a distancesufiicient to provide a space between this open end and the plane of theunderface of jaw 13 (and of the face of body 32 on which it is seated)adequate to freely receive the open end of the outer jaw member 20.

The retainer sleeve C, which may be either of seamless metal tubing orrolled tubular construction as shown, is preferably cylindrical so thatjaw apertures 11, 12, 21, 22 can be circular as indicated in FIGS; 1 and3. The sleeve C extends through all four of these apertures and has itsends riveted outwardly, at 30, into shallow counter-bores at the outerends of apertures 21 and 22. Thus the sleeve is secured at itsrespective ends to opposite sides of jaw member 20. The sleeve C fitsrelatively snugly within the jaw apertures, and thus retains theconnector in the open condition shown in FIGS. 1 and 2'.

In the installation of the connector, the conductor wire or cable 31 isinserted into the sleeve C full length, or

I 5 with the end of the cable slightly projecting as indicated 3 thescrew 34 is then threaded into the tapped hole 33,

in FIG. 4, so that it may be clamped at both sides of the assembly ofjaw members 10 and 20 when the connector is closed. The connector isthen applied to a conductor. body 32 to which an electrical connectionis to be established, the tall 13 is seated against the surface of body32' with its aperture 14 registering with a tapped hole 33 provided inthe body 32, a fastener screw 34 is then in-' sorted through thefastener apertures 24 and 14 of tails 23 and 13, the tail 23 is pressedtoward the tail 13, and

drawing the tail 23 against the tail 13, and is tightened to secure theconnector to the body 32. During the operation, the connector is closed,rotating the jaw member on the jaw member 10, displacing the jawapertures 21 and 22 counterclockwise partially out of register with theinner jaw apertures 11 and 12, and correspondingly deforming the softmetal sleeve C in a manner to exert a pinching or crimping actionagainst the conductor cable 31 at both sides of the jaw assembly. Thusthe cable 31 is securely anchored to the connector. At the same time,the sleeve C, functioning as a liner for the jaw apertures, protects thecable 31 against shearing action from the edges of these apertures asthe connector is closed. This makes it possible to form the jawapertures in a simple and inexpensive manner by die-punching or drilingoperations, which operations tend to leave the apertures with relativelysharp edges. The protective liner action of the sleeve C eliminates thenecessity for finishing these edges to a rounded condition such as toavoid shearing action.

The aperture 22 is centered substantially at the point of tangencybetween neck and jaw member 20, thus extending into the neck 25. Theaperture 12 of connector part A may likewise extend into the neck 15thereof but to a smaller extent, since the apertures 11 and 12 aredisposed on a diameter of jaw member 10 which diverges when the planetail 13 by a substantial angle which may be approximately 20 so as todispose the tails 12 and 23 in flaring relation at an angle ofapproximately 20 in the open condition of the connector, the apertures21 and 22 of connector part B being disposed on a diameter substantiallyparallel to the respective tail 23. Thus, in the closed, installedcondition of the connector shown in FIG. 4, the axis of connector cable31 may be disposed substantially parallel to the tails 13, 23.

The connector can be reused (by removal of a cable therefrom andsubsequent reattachment thereof, or subsequent attachment of a newcable) under the following procedure: After first unbolting theconnector, the tail 23 is forced away from the tail 13, thus reformingthe soft metal sleeve C to an approximately straight condition, thecable 31 (which is left in the sleeve during this operation) functioningas a core which prevents the collapse of the sleeve during thereforming. The cable can then be removed and the device is left in acondition in which it can be used again.

I claim:

1. In an electrical connector, in combination: a pair of connector partseach comprising a cylindrical jaw member having diametrally opposed jawapertures, a generally tangential attachment tail having a fasteneraperture, and an intermediate offset neck formed as a tangentialcontinuation of the respective cylindrical jaw member and joined to arespective tail by an integral bend, one of said jaw members beingrotatably received within the other so as to provide a hinged connectionbetween said connector parts for movement between an open condition ofthe connector in which said tails are spread apart in diverging relationand a closed condition of said connector in which one of said tails isseated upon the other and their fastener apertures are in registeringrelation so that a fastener may be extended therethrough and into a bodyto which an electrical connection is to be made; said jaw aperturesbeing so positioned that the alignment of all four of them will effectthe disposition of said tails in said opened, diverging relation; and aretainer sleeve of deformable metal extending through said four jawapertures, retaining said connector parts against relative lateraldisplacement, initially retaining said connector parts in the openedcondition of the connector, and functioning as a guide for the insertionof the end of a conductor through said jaw apertures and as a liner forsaid apertures to transmit crimping action from said jaws to saidconductor to clamp the same between the jaws when the connector partsare relatively moved to the closed condition of the connector in which,4 said tails are seated one upon the other, said fastener aperturesregistering with one another in said closed condition and functioning toreceive a fastener extended therethrough, anchored in said body, anddrawing said tails tightly into engagement with one another and withsaid body.

2. A connector as defined in claim 1, wherein the outer jaw member hasan open end spaced from the offset neck of the respective connector partto define a gap through which the neck of the other connector partextends with sufficient clearance to accommodate the relative movementsof the connector parts between said open condition and said closedcondition.

3. A connector as defined in claim 2, wherein said open end of saidouter jaw member is disposed substantially in the extended plane of thetail of the respective connector part, and in which the jaw member ofthe other connector part is bodily offset from the plane of the tail ofsaid other connector part to provide space in which said open end of theouter jaw member may be received between the inner jaw member and theplane of the tail of said other connector apart.

4. A connector as defined in claim 1, wherein said connector parts areof formed strap metal.

5. A connector as defined in claim I, wherein said retainer sleeve hasits ends riveted outwardly against the outer face of the outer jawmember at the edges of the jaw apertures therein.

6. In an electrical connector, in combination: a pair of connector partsof formed strap metal each comprising a cylindrical jaw member havingdiametrally opposed jaw apertures, a generally tangential attachmenttail having a fastener aperture, and an intermediate offset neck formedas a tangential continuation of the respective cylindrical jaw memberand joined to a respective tail by an integral right-angle bend, one ofsaid jaw members being rotatably received within the other so as toprovide a hinged connection between said connector parts for movementbetween an open condition of the connector in which said tails arespread apart in diverging relation and a closed condition of saidconnector in which one of said tails is seated upon the other and theirfastener apertures are in registering relation so that a fastener may beextended therethrough and into a body to which an electrical connectionis to be made; one of said connector parts having its respective jawapertures disposed on a common axis which subtends an acute angle withreference to the plane of its respective tail and the other connectorpart having its respective jaw apertures disposed on a common axisapproximately parallel to its respective tail, whereby the alignment ofall four of said jaw apertures will effect the disposition of said tailsin said opened, diverging relation; and a retainer sleeve of deformablemetal extending through said four jaw apertures, retaining saidconnector parts against relative lateral displacement, initiallyretaining said connector parts in the open condition of the connector,and functioning as a guide for the insertion of the end of a conductorthrough said jaw apertures and as a liner for said apertures to transmitpinching action from said jaws to said conductor to clamp the samebetween the jaws when the connector parts are relatively moved to theclosed condition of the connector in which said tails are seated oneupon the other, said fastener apertures registering with one another insaid closed condition and functioning to receive a fastener extendedtherethrough, anchored in said body, and drawing said tails tightly intoengagement with one another and with said body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,023,271 Nungesser Apr. 16, 1912 2,585,055 Thomas et al Feb. 12, 19522,700,807 Petersen Feb. 1, 1955 2,752,583 Tracy June 26, 1956

1. IN AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR, IN COMBINATION: A PAIR OF CONNECTOR PARTSEACH COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL JAW MEMBER HAVING DIAMETRALLY OPPOSED JAWAPERTURES, A GENERALLY TANGENTIAL ATTACHMENT TAIL HAVING A FASTENERAPERTURE, AND AN INTERMEDIATE OFFSET NECK FORMED AS A TANGENTIALCONTINUATION OF THE RESPECTIVE CYLINDRICAL JAW MEMBER AND JOINED TO ARESPECTIVE TAIL BY AN INTEGRAL BEND, ONE OF SAID JAW MEMBERS BEINGROTATABLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE OTHER SO AS TO PROVIDE A HINGED CONNECTIONBETWEEN SAID CONNECTOR PARTS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN AN OPEN CONDITION OFTHE CONNECTOR IN WHICH SAID TAILS ARE SPREAD APART IN DIVERGING RELATIONAND A CLOSED CONDITION OF SAID CONNECTOR IN WHICH ONE OF SAID TAILS ISSEATED UPON THE OTHER AND THEIR FASTENER APERTURES ARE IN REGISTERINGRELATION SO THAT A FASTENER MAY BE EXTENDED THERETHROUGH AND INTO A BODYTO WHICH AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTIOIN IS TO BE MADE; SAID JAW APERTURESBEING SO POSITIONED THAT THE ALIGNMENT OF ALL FOUR OF THEM WILL EFFECTTHE DISPOSITION OF SAID TAILS IN SAID OPENED, DIVERGING RELATION; AND ARETAINER SLEEVE OF DEFORMABLE METAL EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FOUR JAWAPERTURES, RETAINING SAID CONNECTOR PARTS AGAINST RELATIVE LATERALDISPLACEMENT, INITIALLY RETAINING SAID CONNECTOR PARTS IN THE OPENEDCONDITION OF THE CONNECTOR, AND FUNCTIONING AS A GUIDE FOR THE INSERTIONOF THE END OF A CONDUCTOR THROUGH SAID JAW APERTURES AND AS A LINER FORSAID APERTURES TO TRANSMIT CRIMPING ACTION FROM SAID JAWS TO SAIDCONDUCTOR TO CLAMP THE SAME BETWEEN THE JAWS WHEN THE CONNECTOR PARTSARE RELATIVELY MOVED TO THE CLOSED CONDITION OF THE CONNECTOR IN WHICHSAID TAILS ARE SEATED ONE UPON THE OTHER, SAID FASTENER APERTURESREGISTERING WITH ONE ANOTHER IN SAID CLOSED CONDITION AND FUNCTIONING TORECEIVE A FASTENER EXTENDED THERETHROUGH, ANCHORED IN SAID BODY, ANDDRAWING SAID TAILS TIGHTLY INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH ONE ANOTHER AND WITHSAID BODY.